9 BEST YOGA POSES FOR IMMUNITY

Our immune system is a real fighter as it performs with amazing excellence to prevent various medical conditions. Having a strong immune system is a necessity to every human being. Particularly, when everything including water, land, air and even space is polluted, the onus is completely on us to maintain our body in a healthy state. Prevention is always better than cure. With a strong force to keep guard, it is not possible for strangers to trespass. Our force is our immune power.

How Yoga Boosts Immunity

Immunity is an energy that is present in the whole body. When your body absorbs nutrients in your food, enhances blood circulation, maintains proper levels of WBC, ensures vitamin C presence, enhances liver performance and proper elimination of waste, your immunity power improves. 

To ensure such smooth functioning, it is essential to have the internal organs perform well. Yoga poses and Pranayama practices help in the proper functioning of all the organs. The bending, twisting and stretching poses stimulate the internal organs and make them perform at their optimum best. Apart from stimulating the organs to enhance their performance, yoga helps to regulate proper blood circulation and aids in the superior performance of endocrine glands. 

Pranayama, the breathing techniques improve lung capacity and oxygenate all the tissues. This contributes to the overall function and development of the body. The balanced growth and the coordinated functioning of the body boost immunity power and brave all the challenges hurled by outside elements.

Best Yoga Poses For Immunity

1. Utkatasana / Chair Pose

How To Do Chair Pose 

• Stand straight with your spine erect.
• Raise your arms above your head with your upper arms closer to the ears.
• Keep your palms together and let the arms be stretched upwards keeping the elbows straight.
• While lifting your arms, bend at the waist low enough to maintain a seated posture. You may imagine sitting on a chair.
• Alternately, you can keep your hands stretched forward.
• Hold the pose for a while.
• Return to standing position.

Duration: Remain in the pose for one minute. Do it twice.

Read more to know about Benefits of Utkatasana / Chair Pose

2. Caturanga Dandasana / Low Plank Pose

How To Do Low Plank Pose

• Go on High Plank Pose.
• Lower your body till you are few inches away from the ground. Your wrists and elbows should be aligned. 
• Return to normal position.

Duration: 30 seconds.

Benefits of Low Plank Pose

• Strengthens shoulders, arms and wrists
• Tones the back, spine and abdomen
• Boosts immune function
• It is a wonderful alternate for crunches

Note

Those with wrist problems should exercise caution while practicing Low Plank pose.

3. Bhujangasana / Cobra Pose

How to do Cobra Pose 

• Lie down on your stomach.
• Bend your hands at the elbows and place your palms near your chest on the sides.
• Inhale as you lift your head and up to your waist.
• Keep your hands perpendicular to the floor.
• Pull your shoulders back so that the chest expands.
• Keep your head straight or tilt it upwards.
• Slowly return to position.

Duration: 20 seconds

Benefits of Cobra Pose

• Boosts immunity

Read more

4. Adho Mukha Svanasana / Downward Facing Dog Pose

How To Do Downward Facing Dog 

• Go down on all fours.
• Your palms should be slightly ahead the shoulder line. Your knees should be in line with your hips. Your toes should touch the floor.
• Space out your fingers.
• Exhale as you lift your body by raising your hips and straightening your knees.
• Keep your heels firmly on the floor.
• Straighten your arms by placing your palms firmly on the floor.
• Ensure that your shoulders expand as you pull them back.
• Let your head be positioned in between your arms.
• After holding the position for a while, return by reversing the procedure.

Duration: 30 seconds to one minute

Benefits of Downward Facing Dog

• Boosts immunity
• Energizes the whole body

Read more

5. Dhanurasana / Bow Pose

How To Do Bow Pose

• Lie down on your stomach.
• Bend your legs and hold your ankles.
• Raise your chest and thighs so that you are balancing on your abdomen.
• Lift your thighs and chest as much as possible so your spine is arched.
• Release the pose by lowering your body to the floor.

Duration: 30 seconds

Benefits Of Bow Pose

• Boosts immune power.

Read more

6. Sarvangasana / Shoulder Stand

How To Do Shoulder Stand

• Lie down on the floor. Let your arms be by your sides with palms down.
• Inhale as you raise your legs up to 90 degrees.
• Bring your legs behind your head.
• Bend your hands at your elbows and place your arms on your back for support.
• Now bring your legs and back in one line so that your body rests on the shoulders with upper arms to support your back.
• Keep your eyes closed or fix your gaze on your toes.
• While releasing the pose, lower your legs slightly towards your head and release your hands.
• Now place your back and the legs slowly on the floor.

Duration: You can remain in Shoulder Stand for 1 to 3 minutes initially. As you gain practice, you may slowly increase the duration up to 30 minutes. This however depends on the medical condition of the practitioner and the need.

Benefits Of Shoulder Stand

Shoulder Stand, which is the Queen of all Yoga postures, activates thymus gland and helps to improve immune function.

Read more

7. Halasana / Plough Pose

How To Do Plough Pose

• Lie down with your back on the floor with your hands by your sides.
• Bring your legs over your body without bending your knees.
• Place your legs behind your head on the floor and straighten your back. Keep your legs straight.
• To release the pose, lower your back to the floor without bending your knees and bring your legs to the floor.

Duration: One minute

Benefits Of Plough Pose

Plough Pose activates thyroid and thymus glands and improves immunity. As it activates the pituitary gland as well, overall performance of the body is enhanced.

Read more

8. Chakrasana / Wheel Pose        
   

How To Do Wheel Pose 

• Lie down with your back on the floor.
• Bend your legs and bring your feet closer to your buttock. Maintain hip width distance between your legs.
• Raise your arms and place the palms behind your shoulders with fingers pointing towards your shoulders.
• Placing your arms and feet firmly on the floor, lift your body off the floor.
• Let your hands and legs be straight.
• Release the pose by slowly lowering your body to the floor.

Duration: 15 seconds to 30 seconds

Benefits Of Chakrasana / Wheel Pose

• Strengthens entire body and improves immunity
• Stretches the spine and improves its elasticity. Hence, practicing this pose will help to maintain youthful appearance and keep you energetic.
• Tones the entire back muscles and leg muscles and strengthens them
• Strengthens the whole body as it works on all parts right from neck to feet
• Stimulates the functioning of abdominal organs

Note

People suffering from chronic back conditions and high blood pressure should refrain from practicing Wheel Pose.

9. Balasana / Child Pose

How To Do Child Pose

• Kneel down and sit on the heels.
• Bend forward and reach for the floor with your forehead.
• You may either have your hands by the sides stretched towards your ankles or stretch them in front placing them on the floor.

Duration: 30 seconds to 1 minute

Benefits Of Child Pose

• Improves immunity
• Strengthens the spine and tones the back
• Relieves neck pain and back pain
• Tones your hips, thighs and back
• Relieves tiredness and anxiety
• Relaxes the mind and promotes calm
• Relieves pain in the neck and the lower back.

Note

People with knee injury, high blood pressure and heart conditions should avoid practicing this yoga pose.